Igniting Ice
by musicangel323
Summary: (Formally "How Did I Fall in Love With You?") Fate works in mysterious ways as the runaway princess from the North meets none other than Sesshomaru. With her kingdom nearing ruin and a new threat on the horizon, can Noriko overcome her pride and fight? Or will her encounter with the Western Lord change her fate? **CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR BETA. MESSAGE IF INTERESTED.**


Hello everyone! I know that it's been a few years since I've even touched this story but life certainly got in the way. Despite the large time gap, I couldn't leave this story unfinished. So I think that it deserves a total makeover! So from here on out I'm going to be updating this fanfiction with all new chapters, plot changes, and even a new title to make it better! I apologize ahead of time for this but updates won't be as frequent as I would like. I will try to update at least once a week but no promises. Your reviews and comments will help to motivate me!

I can't thank those of you enough that are actually still reading or watching my story. I love all of your comments so keep 'em coming as I progress! So without further ado, here is: _Igniting Ice._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha series

_Italics_ – thoughts, Japanese words

* * *

A gleam of silver flashed by in the night; gone just as fast as it was seen. The demoness cursed under her breath at her seemingly slow pace, glancing back. _Damn they sure caught up fast. _Emerald eyes scanned the road ahead, spotting her destination. Dashing into the small cave, she put up a barrier and rested against the cool wall. This cave had provided her refuge many a time from her fellow tribesman.

A soft huff escaped her lips as she observed her current state. "Look at what they've done to my kimono." Despite the mud and the rips, the beautiful sapphire silk was hard to miss. This kimono was one reserved for royalty; more specifically the dragon princess of the North. The moonlight reflected off of the various crystals and gems embedded in the garment; its extravagance only matched by the beauty of the one wearing it. White silver hair cascaded down the princess' shoulders, framing a flawless face and soft pink lips. Dragon demons were known for their beauty and Noriko was no exception.

The princess tensed as the shouts grew louder, hoping that the barrier would be enough to keep her hidden. Being the heir to the Northern Lands had never meant much to her, until now that is. Her father had been gravely wounded in a recent battle against rouge demons and despite his powers, old age and grave injuries had placed him on a deathbed. With their leader nearing the end of his reign, his subjects had begun to panic. Jealous and skeptical eyes were now turned towards Noriko.

She was the last in a long, ancient line of dragons; her silver scales only confirming this fact. The dragon demon race had slowly begun to decrease over the years, their blood being diluted by greedy males seeking pleasures elsewhere; namely with humans or other demon species. Noriko's father had been among the few pure blood dragons of old, wise beyond his years and possessing a deep connection to the world around him. Noriko had always looked up to her father and could only hope that one day she too would be taught his rare gifts.

Following in her father's footsteps had always seemed an impossible task, but now she was forced to face it. Noriko looked up at the night sky, eyes filled with sorrow. _Oh Kami, why me? This wasn't supposed to ever happen._ Having barely reached the age of 600, quite young in dragon years, all of this responsibility felt like a heavy weight on her heart. _You can't leave me, chichi…_

Because of her young age and inexperience, Noriko had become an object of animosity in her tribe. After her mother died the Northern Lord refused to take another mate, leaving Noriko as the only heir. The dragon demon race was very keen on keeping with traditions and there had been few female rulers in their time. Noriko felt cornered when they would berate her with questions and skeptical thoughts. She no longer had the protection of her father and all her weaknesses were left exposed to her people. Because of this, Noriko often found herself seeking solitude, avoiding the cage it felt like she was being pushed into. While she always knew that one day she would take over the kingdom, she resented it. _Why should I take care of a group of demons who want me off the throne? Why should I give up my freedom, my life, for them?_

The princess was drawn from her thoughts as the scent of her tribe began to fade. Bright emerald eyes looked up at the dark sky as she slowly let down her barrier. Peeking out of the cave, the moonlight reflected off of her hair, giving it an iridescent glow. _At least I can finally have some peace and quiet._ Noriko stepped out into the night, walking towards a small stream. "Maybe I can try to wash off what those fools did." Dragons were vain creatures by nature and there was no greater insult than to damage or steal their treasure.

"I found it! I found it!" Noriko hissed as she glared in the direction the voice had come from, sensing a human. _Who would dare approach me now? _Soon after, a small girl in an orange and yellow-checkered kimono emerged over the distant hill. Noriko eyed her suspiciously as she came closer; her guard up as the girl stopped in front of her and began to pout. "No fair! You stole the star and I saw it first." Noriko could smell a strong youkai scent on the child and kept her distance, figuring the demon couldn't be too far away._ Why is she alone?_

Deciding it was best to keep the conversation brief Noriko spoke softly, "I have stolen nothing." The girl pointed to the demoness' hair, "I was following a shooting star so I could make a wish on it." Noriko's brow furrowed slightly as she watched the child cross her arms, "But you stole it and you're hiding it in your hair." A smile tugged at Noriko's lips as she kneeled down, bringing her hair in front of her shoulder. "This is no star,_ kodomo_."

The girl eyed it suspiciously before looking back at the princess, "Then where did the star go?" Noriko stood back up and craned her neck to look behind her, "Why don't you try looking over there?" She watched as the girl smiled, "Ok, thanks for your help!" The demoness nodded and returned the smile. Sensing that the conversation was over, Noriko began to walk away before she felt a small tug on her sleeve. "Excuse me my lady, but could you help me look for it? Master Jaken was playing with me earlier but now it's late and I can't find him." Hesitation flickered in Noriko's eyes for a brief moment, could she trust this human? _Master Jaken must be the youkai I smell, and if he lost this girl I can only imagine what would happen if he found her in my company._ _But why would he keep a human girl alive?_

Noriko found herself starting to give in as she looked down at the big brown eyes of the girl, "I'll make you a deal, _kodomo_. If I help you look for the star, you have to find your Master Jaken." She watched as the child's face lit up with a smile, "Ok! Thank you my lady. My name is Rin!" Noriko chuckled softly as the girl bowed in front of her. "You can call me Lady Noriko, Rin." Rin giggled and nodded, lightly tugging on her arm, "Come on Lady Noriko, let's start looking!" _Let's just hope we find this star before her youkai finds us._

* * *

"Oh where did that girl run off to now?" Panic began to set in as Jaken ran through the forest, searching for Rin. The last thing he remembered was sitting by the fire trying to ignore whatever the girl was babbling about, and then watching her disappear in the darkness. _Kami that girl always gets into trouble! It's a wonder why Lord Sesshomaru even keeps her around!_

The toad demon grumbled to himself as he pushed through branches, debating whether or not he even wanted to find the girl. _But if I don't find her, Lord Sesshomaru will banish me from his presence! _Big tears welled in Jaken's eyes at the thought of never seeing the Western Lord again. "Don't worry Lord Sesshomaru I'll find Rin!" With a renewed sense of purpose, Jaken took off full speed completely missing the giant hole he fell right into.

A loud thud echoed throughout the forest as the toad blinked, having fallen into an old trap meant for hunting game. Watery eyes looked up at the night sky, realizing he was too short to get out of the hole. "Nooooooo! Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken tried to scramble up the walls but to no avail. Water began to pour from his eyes as he sat in the middle of the hole, his tears beginning to fill up the space. _Now what am I going to do?_

* * *

Sesshomaru sighed as he walked through the forest, feeling the beginning of a headache. He had been trapped in a council meeting nearly all day to discuss the current situation of the Northern lands. With their Lord nearing the end of his life, and no indication that his daughter would take over, there were serious decisions to be made. Would one of the other lords have the power and numbers to rule both kingdoms? Would the North produce a different heir? The debate had run in circles for hours until the short-tempered Southern Lord ended it, insisting they reconvene at a later date. The fact that the there was no representative from the North did not help matters either.

The Western Lord couldn't help but be intrigued by the possibility of expanding his lands. He knew that he was more than capable of handling the extra responsibility. _Hn, thoughts for another time. _Making his way back to his palace, his ears caught the sound of sobbing nearby. "Oh Lord Sesshomaru please forgive me!" The dog demon sniffed as he approached the hole where Jaken resided, noticing the toad had gradually floated to the top of the hole from what he could only assume were tears.

Sesshomaru raised an elegant eyebrow as he stared down at his follower. "Jaken" The small toad demon was startled by the voice and turned pale at the sight of the youkai, "L..Lord Sesshomaru! I didn't expect you back so soon!" Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he sniffed the air, "Where is she?"

Beads of sweat ran down the toad's forehead, his ability to speak suddenly gone. The look Jaken received was enough to send him failing around in the water, now noticing how close he was to the top of the hole. A warning growl passed Sesshomaru's lips, "You were supposed to be watching her." Jaken was quivering in fear now, feeling himself begin to sink back down in the hole from the displaced water. "My Lord please forgive me! I will never disappoint you again!"

_So much for getting rid of that headache._ Sesshomaru sniffed the air again for Rin's scent and found that she was not far, but stiffened when he caught the scent of another demon. _Dammit Jaken, you've let the girl wander into the hands of another demon._ Sesshomaru quickly took off towards Rin with Jaken trying desperately to get free from his prison.

* * *

Noriko found herself smiling again as she listened to Rin ramble on about her favorite games to play. Having never spent much time interacting with humans, she found the girl's company quite pleasant. _I'm starting to understand why a youkai would keep her alive._ Their attempt at trying to find Master Jaken had been postponed as Noriko started to point out different constellations to the girl. "Do you see that one, Rin? It is called the Azure Dragon, one of the four guardian spirits. Legend says that the dragon used to be a powerful general in life but now he protects the city of Kyoto."

Noriko watched as the girls eyes filled with wonder, tracing the outline of the dragon with her finger. "You know so much, Lady Noriko. But we still haven't found my star." "We also haven't found your Master Jaken either." Rin rolled her eyes and giggled, "He's not much fun to play with anyway." Noriko stopped by a nearby pond, allowing the girl to rest and drink from the water. _What am I going to do if we can't find this Master Jaken? I can't take her back with me. _The demoness felt her face fall at the thought of having to return to her tribe. "Lady Noriko, are you ok?" Noriko glanced over at the child looking up at her, "Your eyes look sad." _Hn, pretty observant for someone so young._

"It is nothing for one as young and kind as you to worry about." The princess offered her a small smile and lightly patted her head." Rin leaned back on her arms and nodded, not pressing further, "Lord Sesshomaru says that stuff to me all the time. I hope that someday I will be old enough to know what he's talking about." Noriko watched as the girl's eyes filled with admiration for him, distracted for a second before the name registered in her mind. "Lord Sesshomaru?" _But I was sure I was still in the North…_ Her face paled as she recalled the walk she had with Rin. The princess had been so at ease with the girl she failed to realize they had wandered into the Western Lands. _I'm on his territory with this human child who has to hold some significance to him. I have serious doubts that the ice prince will show me any mercy! Master Jaken wasn't the youkai we were looking for, it was…_

Noriko didn't have time to finish the thought as her body was roughly pinned against a large tree, a hand tight around her throat. _Speak of the devil. _She hissed as the smell of poison filled her nose, her defenses flaring up. "You're trespassing on my lands, _yosomono_, and I demand that you leave immediately." His cold words sent a shiver down Noriko's spine as she tried to regain her composure, finding it hard with his cold amber eyes staring her down. Having never seen the Western Lord in person, she found herself slightly distracted by his handsome features. "These may be your lands, but I know of no law that says I am not allowed on them."

"How dare you speak that way to Lord Sesshomaru! You disrespectful wench!" Noriko turned to see a small toad demon running to his side, glaring daggers at her. Sesshomaru snapped back with the same cold tone, "Quiet, Jaken." _That's Master Jaken? A servant to Lord Sesshomaru? _Noriko grumbled under her breath at her foolish mistake. The Western Lord tightened his grip at the small noise, making her squirm. Sesshomaru studied her cautiously, feeling her strong demonic aura touch his. Judging by her attire she was of high stature but that still didn't explain why she was on his lands. While he did not attend every council meeting he had not once seen this female present. She possessed strong demonic powers that he was sure of and yet she wasn't fighting back. _Who is she? _

Emerald eyes locked with amber ones as Noriko eyed him curiously. _Why doesn't he just kill me? Maybe he thinks he can get some sort of ransom from my father. _A small shudder racked her body. _Or maybe he plans on taking over the North and killing me is just the start._

Sesshomaru flexed his poison claws as he spoke quietly, "Who are you, _yosomono_?" Noriko relaxed her gaze as a sense of relief washed over her. _He doesn't know who I am! There may be hope for me yet._ "That's not your concern, Lord Sesshomaru. Now if you'll release me I'll be on my way." She watched as the youkai growled low in his throat, clearly irritated by her inability to comply.

"Lord Sesshomaru, stop hurting my friend!" Noriko watched as Rin ran up and tugged on his sleeve. The demoness fought a small smile at the kind gesture. _This girl is truly something special._ Expecting the plea to fall on deaf ears, Noriko was surprised when she felt the hand release her neck. Bracing herself against the tree she watched as Rin smiled and hugged the youkai's leg, "Thank you Lord Sesshomaru!"

He said nothing in response but gave Noriko one long stare before walking away, "Jaken, Rin, let's go." When reality set in, Noriko watched the group retreat with wide eyes. _Did that really just happen?_ "Did the Western Lord, whom I know has a great dislike for humans, just listen to one?" Noriko couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth. _Why is he so fond of her? Is there more to her than meets the eye?_

Sesshomaru gave a low warning growl and turned towards her, his stare icy, "I have already released you, yosomono, which is more than I can say for others who have trespassed."

Ignoring his threat, Noriko hissed through her teeth, "If it weren't for me, that girl would be dead. You threaten the one who protected her and yet the real culprit walks next to you with no punishment." Noriko rested her hands on her hips, as she stared after him, holding her ground as he walked back towards her, eyes narrowed, "If you're expecting gratitude you are more foolish than I thought. Though poor manners are to be expected from someone of your standing." Fire danced in Noriko's eyes as she stood her ground, "If I'm so far beneath you, why didn't you just kill me earlier? Instead you choose to listen to a _human_ girl! A real daiyoukai would have killed me on the spot for defying your leadership."

Noriko could feel her blood boil as Sesshomaru tightly gripped her arm, feeling his claws dig into her skin. _Doesn't he know better than to anger a dragon? _She snarled as he leaned forward to whisper dangerously, "You think you are brave? You're fortunate Rin has taken a liking to you otherwise I'd leave your corpse to rot on my border as a warning to others." Noriko fought harshly against his hold, her unwelcoming homeland quickly becoming more appealing than here.

"She won't be around all the time though, yosomono. And when that time comes, neither will you." Noriko scoffed, causing the demon lord's temper to flare more, "Don't worry _Lord_ Sesshomaru, for I will not be returning to a land run by a weak mutt who answers to humans!" The princess had managed to get her blood hot enough for him to release her, seeing a small flicker cross his eyes. Noriko couldn't help but feel smug as she began to head for her land. If she crossed the border he couldn't touch her.

What happened next was a blur as Noriko soon found a light whip wrapped around her waist. Fighting to free herself, she felt the presence of the Western Lord behind her again, holding his sword to her neck. "That was unwise, yosomono. You will tell this Sesshomaru who you are now." Noriko laughed darkly, "Over my dead body." Sesshomaru quickly brought the hilt of his sword to the back of her head, watching as she fell limp. Golden eyes looked over her form as he put his sword back. She had no markings on her face but he could see the faint hint of them on her arms. _Hn, she's a strong youkai, but what is she doing here? _In one swift move the Western Lord had her bound and flung over his shoulder. If he moved quickly they would reach his palace before she woke up. _And this time, yosomono, you will do as I say._

* * *

_Yosomono_ – stranger; outsider

_Chichi _– father

_Kodomo - _child

Well there you have it, the first revised chapter of my story. I hope you all enjoyed it and please leave a review if you would like me to continue. Thank you!


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